Charter schools initiative in Washington state turn in signatures

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CLARKSTON, WA - The Washington Coalition for Charter Schools is attempting for the fourth time to put an initiative on the November ballot to open charters schools across the state of Washington.

The group submitted approximately 350,000 signatures this month in support of Initiative 1240. Clarkston School District Superintendent Darcy Weisner feels strongly that charter schools are not best for the state of Washington.

"The concern that I have and I think a lot of superintendents have in the state of Washington is that we're faced with an inadequate amount of funding right now," said Weisner.

Weisner said to add another layer of schools to Washington state would stretch resources even thinner. Charter schools receive public funding but they are not subject to certain rules and regulations that other public schools must adhere to.

Supporters of charter schools say with different regulations, charter schools can provide specialized education in certain fields. The Washington State Secretary's Office will review the signatures to see if the initiative can be placed on the ballot.